35 x 45 mm Photo Maker (3.5 x 4.5 cm)

  • Size35 x 45 mm
  • BackgroundPlain light grey or cream, no pattern or shadow
  • Head height71–76% of the photo
  • GlassesNot allowed
  1. Add your photo
  2. We check it
  3. Download & print

Add a photo for your 35x45 mm Photo

For the best result

  • Plain wallCleaner edges around hair
  • Face the lightA window or lamp, no side shadow
  • Neutral faceEyes open, look at the lens
  • No glassesHats and headphones off too
  • Arm's lengthHead and shoulders in frame

Your photo stays on your device. It is processed here in your browser — we don't upload it, and we can't see it.

About this photo

35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm) is the standard passport and visa photo size across most of the world - the UK, the Schengen countries, India, Canadian visitor visas, Japan and Australia all use it. The countries do not agree on exactly how big your head must be, so this page crops to the band they all accept: 32 to 34 mm from chin to crown on a 45 mm tall photo. You get a print-ready 35 x 45 mm image and a digital file large enough for the online portals.

35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm) Passport Photo photo requirements

35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm) Passport Photo photo specification
Print size35 mm wide x 45 mm high (3.5 x 4.5 cm)
Head height32-34 mm chin to crown - the overlap of the UK's 29-34 mm, Schengen's 32-36 mm and Canada's 31-36 mm
Eye height (derived)About 55%-63% of the photo height above the bottom edge. None of these countries publishes an eye-line number, so this is calculated from the official head-height and top-margin figures
BackgroundPlain cream or light grey for the UK; plain white for India and most visa centres. Uniform, no pattern, no shadow
Digital sizeAt least 600 x 750 pixels for the UK online service. At 35:45 proportions that means at least 600 x 771 pixels
File size50 KB to 10 MB for the UK online service; other portals set their own window
ExpressionPlain expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible, facing straight at the camera
GlassesDo not wear glasses unless you have to. Never tinted or sunglasses, and no glare on the lenses
Age of photoWithin the last month for a UK passport; within 6 months for Schengen, India and Canada
Prints needed2 identical prints for a UK paper application, on plain white photographic paper with no border

Mistakes that get this photo rejected

  • The UK asks for a plain cream or light grey background, not white. Pure white is the norm almost everywhere else, so a single file will not always pass both a UK passport application and an Indian or Chinese one.
  • The UK's digital minimum of 600 x 750 pixels is a 4:5 shape, not 35:45. To clear it while keeping true 35 x 45 proportions, your file has to be at least 600 x 771 pixels - a photo that is exactly 600 x 750 is the wrong shape for the print.
  • The head-size bands do not fully overlap. The UK allows 29-34 mm and Schengen wants 32-36 mm, so only 32-34 mm satisfies both. A 30 mm head that passes at a UK Post Office check can fail at a Schengen visa centre.
  • UK photos must have been taken within the last month. Most other 35 x 45 countries allow six months, so a photo you already used for a Schengen visa may be too old for HM Passport Office.
  • 35 x 45 mm is a print size, not a digital standard. HM Passport Office, India's Passport Seva and the VFS centres each set their own pixel and file-size window, so check the upload rules for your specific form before exporting.

Printing it for about 40¢

The 4×6 sheet this tool gives you holds several copies of your photo at exactly 35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm). Order it as an ordinary 4×6 photo print — about 19¢ at Walmart, 39¢ at Walgreens or 42¢ at CVS — then cut them out. That is the same print the store charges $7.64 to $16.99 for at the counter.

The one thing that goes wrong: letting the store’s website or kiosk crop, zoom or “fit” your image. That changes the photo’s physical size and is the most common reason a printed photo is rejected. Always choose the option that prints the whole sheet at actual size.

Common questions

Which countries and documents use a 35 x 45 mm photo?

The UK passport, all Schengen visa applications, Indian passport applications, Canadian visitor visas and work or study permits, Japanese and Australian passports, and a long list of national ID cards. It is the closest thing there is to a world standard, which is why 2 x 2 inch US photos look unfamiliar to most of the world.

Is 35 x 45 mm the same as 3.5 x 4.5 cm?

Yes, identical - just different units. You will also see it written as 45 x 35 mm (height first, which is how gov.uk writes it) and occasionally as 1.38 x 1.77 inches. All the same photo.

Can I print 35 x 45 mm photos at a US drugstore?

Yes, but not at the passport counter - US counters usually only cut 2 x 2 inch photos. Instead lay six 35 x 45 mm photos onto a 4 x 6 inch sheet, upload it as an ordinary photo print at CVS or Walgreens, and cut them apart. The sheet costs roughly 29 to 39 cents.

How much does a 35 x 45 mm photo cost?

In the US, a drugstore passport photo counter charges about $16.99 to $17.99 and will hand you 2 x 2 inch prints, which are the wrong size for a UK or Schengen application. Printing your own 4 x 6 sheet in the correct size at the same store costs about 39 cents.

How big should my head be in the photo?

Between 32 and 34 mm from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head, including hair, on a photo that is 45 mm tall. That is roughly 71% to 76% of the frame. The UK will accept down to 29 mm and Schengen up to 36 mm, but 32-34 mm is accepted by both.

Can I wear glasses?

Only if you have to. The UK guidance says not to wear glasses unless it is necessary, and tinted or sunglasses are never allowed. If you keep them on, the frames must not cover your eyes and there must be no reflection on the lenses. Taking them off removes the risk entirely.

Should the background be white or grey?

For a UK passport, plain cream or light grey - that is what HM Passport Office asks for. For India, China and most visa centres, plain white. If you are applying to more than one country, produce two versions rather than hoping one background passes both.

I already have a 600 x 600 photo. Can I use it for a UK passport?

No. 600 x 600 is a square, and a UK passport photo is 35 x 45 mm, which is taller than it is wide. Cropping a square down to 35:45 also shrinks the frame, so re-crop from your original photo rather than from the square version.

Other photos you can make free

Checked August 2026 Specifications and prices on this page come from the sources below. Rules and prices change — if you spot something out of date, please tell us.